Regular Home Maintenance is Key
You LOVE where you live & inspecting your home on a regular basis and following good maintenance practices are the best way to protect your investment in your home. Establish a routine for yourself, and you will find the work is easy to accomplish and not very time-consuming. A regular schedule of seasonal maintenance can put a stop to the most common — and costly — problems, before they occur. If necessary, use a camera to take pictures of anything you might want to share with an expert for advice or to monitor or remind you of a situation later. By following the information noted here, you will learn about protecting your investment and how to help keep your home a safe and healthy place to live. If you do not feel comfortable performing some of the home maintenance tasks listed below, or do not have the necessary equipment, you may want to consider hiring a qualified handy-person.
SPRING & SUMMER Home Maintenance Checklist
Once the ground has thawed and the trees begin to bud, it's time to prepare your home for spring. On top of your regular spring cleaning, you'll also want to consider these general upkeep tips. Use our spring home maintenance checklist to make sure everything in your home, from the basement to the roof, is in tip-top shape:
Landscaping and Yard Prep
Exterior Repairs and Updates
- Clean window and door screens.
- Remove leaves and debris from gutters and downspouts.
- Have a professional inspect and pump the septic tank.
- Inspect roofing for missing, loose, or damaged shingles and leaks.
- Inspect the chimney for damage.
- Wash windows.
- Power-wash siding.
- Repair or replace caulking and weather stripping around windows, doors, and mechanicals.
- Remove the insulation from outdoor faucets and check sprinkler heads.
Interior Cleaning and Inspection
- Clean faucet aerators and showerheads to remove mineral deposits. Repeat in the fall.
- Change the air-conditioner filter.
- Polish wood furniture and dust light fixtures.
- Replace the batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
- Inspect sink, shower, and bath caulking for deterioration.
- Vacuum lint from the dryer vent.
- Have the air-conditioning system serviced.
- Drain or flush the water heater.
- Remove lint from your dryer vent.
- Clean kitchen exhaust fan filter.
- Clean refrigerator and freezer coils and empty and clean drip trays.
- Check the dishwasher for leaks.
- Check around kitchen and bathroom cabinets and around toilets for leaks.
- Replace faucet and showerhead washers if needed.
- Seal tile grout.
Monthly Home Improvement Checklist
Inspecting your home and completing monthly home improvement projects will keep your maintenance schedule on track and easier to manage. Follow this comprehensive home maintenance checklist each month to help save time and money:
- Clean the furnace filter to remove dust build-ups, make it easier to regulate your home's temperature, and ultimately decrease energy bills.
- Check the water softener and replenish salt if necessary.
- Clean faucet aerators and showerheads to remove mineral deposits.
- Inspect tub and sink drains for debris; unclog if necessary.
- Test smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers, and all ground-fault circuit interrupters.
- Inspect electrical cords for wear.
- Vacuum heat registers and heat vents.
- Check that indoor and outdoor air vents are not blocked.
- Flush out hot water from the water heater to remove accumulated sediment.
- Clean the garbage disposal by grinding ice cubes, then flushing with hot water and baking soda.